This season, the Barcelona Symphony Band, in collaboration with Apropa Cultura, has created ‎a series of weekday morning concerts specifically devised for dependant or vulnerable ‎elderly people.‎

The series so far has consisted of ‎‎Scenes from Russia‎, ‎‏A Night under ‎the ‎Marquee‏, and the last one will be ‎‎Maria Callas, A Life of Opera‎‏‎, ‎which will ‎take place on 21 and 22 May 2019 in Sala 2 Oriol Martorell at L’Auditori.‎

The concerts are preceded by a workshop designed to raise awareness, which takes place on ‎the same day at L’Auditori and consists of musical get-togethers between different social ‎groups and musicians from the Band. The objective is to introduce the musicians to different ‎social realities, to create bonds and, at the same time, to share the importance of music in ‎the daily life of each and every person.‎

The concerts are open to the general public but are inclusive and relaxed; that is, the focus ‎doesn’t centre on concentrating on the music and silence, but rather the comfort and ‎enjoyment of the audience. ‎

On Tuesday 21 May, on the occasion of the ‎Maria Callas, A Life of Opera ‎concert, ‎a meet-up event has been organised with users of the community rehabilitation ‎services at ‎the Sant Joan de Déu hospital complex where they will be able to explain their ‎perspectives ‎on mental health to the musicians. Additionally, on 22 May, an interactive ‎workshop has ‎been devised in which the musicians and hospital users can play together in a ‎Percussion ‎Circle, guided by the music therapist Pau Gimeno. ‎


‎Maria Callas, A Life of Opera ‎
The soprano Maria Callas is considered to be one of the most famous opera singers in the ‎world. She combined her impeccable bel canto technique with a remarkable dramatic talent, ‎qualities that led to her being hailed as ‎La Divina‎‎

She was extremely versatile and capable ‎of singing whatever she wished‏. ‏Callas never ‎imposed any limits on her art or music‏. ‏She also found herself under the‏ ‏glare of the ‎international ‎spotlight for her relationship with the Greek multimillionaire tycoon Aristotle ‎Onassis ‎who ultimately married Jacqueline Kennedy‏, ‏generating sensationalist news ‎stories in all the gossip magazines. Callas was a leading figure in the world of opera and was ‎an incomparable, temperamental, determined ‎and brilliant woman‏.‏

Begoña Alberdi will sing some of the Diva’s most famous arias in this lavish tribute to the ‎great soprano and to the world of opera, with a set design created specially by David Pintó.‎


‎Production and performers ‎
Beatriz Fernández, conductor
David Pintó, stage manager
Begoña Alberdi, soprano

George Bizet ‎
Carmen. Selected suites
Carmen. Habanera

Giuseppe Verdi
Selected operatic themes

Vincenzo Bellini
Norma. Casta Diva, aria

Giacomo Puccini
Gianni Schicchi. O mio bambino caro, aria

Gioachino Rossini
Il barbieri di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville). Overture‎
Il barbieri di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville). Una voce poco fa, aria